1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to index dividers for insertion and use in notebooks, binders or the like, and, more particularly, to a set of one-piece index dividers having machinable, pre-printed tabs and an integral pocket for storing loose papers or supplies.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Notebooks or binders for retaining sheets of paper typically include a binding having a back panel or spine attached between a front panel and a rear panel. A notebook spine may be openable (e.g., as in loose-leaf binders) or may permanently retain the sheets (e.g., as in spiral bound notebooks). A binder may also include a slidable or removable retainer clip for retaining un-perforated sheets by compression force.
The principal operating structure of a loose-leaf binder is a set of a selectively closable and openable rings, rods or tabs, all generally characterizable as sheet retainers. The most common configuration for loose-leaf binders includes sheet retainers formed as split rings that are selectively openable by spreading one or more tabs or rods included in a driving mechanism for spreading the split rings into an open configuration, thereby permitting individual sheets of loose-leaf paper to be inserted into the binder. The sheet retainers (e.g., split rings) are typically distributed along the length of the binder spine but may be secured to the back panel, and so a wide variety of sheet retainer types and locations have been developed for use in loose-leaf binders. In a three-ring binder, each split ring member penetrates one of several perforations formed in each loose-leaf sheet (e.g, of paper) inserted into the binder. Binders can have one, two, three, five, six, seven and sometimes dozens of sheet retainers, and sheet retainers can have can have various shapes. Because of the multiplicity of sheet retainer configurations, and the standardization of sizes and placement of sheet retainers, binders are sometimes referred to by the capacity (measured in thickness of leaves) and the standard number or configuration of retainers. For example, one may speak of "three-ring" binders, "three-inch three-ring" binders, "two-post lay-flat" binders, or "two-inch three-ring D-ring" binders, and so forth. Split rings may be substantially circular, D-shaped or shaped as a "slant D". The paper industry serves the market by producing leaves of paper for each size and configuration of binders. The dimensions of leaves, and thus of binders, may vary widely in a broad range of standard sizes. For example, binders for holding 81/2.times.11 inch paper or 51/2.times.81/2 inch paper are often described by paper size.
It is customary to provide dividers for use in binders where the dividers must also conform to the industry standards for paper size and the number and placement of retainers. For the purposes of exposition in the present application, a three-ring loose leaf binder for holding 81/2.times.11 inch paper is used as an example, but loose-leaf binders and notebooks with all sheet retainer configurations can have problems similar to those discussed below.
A number of office supply vendors provide packaged sets of divider sheets with tabs having pre-printed index information for use in three-ring loose leaf binders holding 81/2.times.11 inch paper; such preprinted dividers are usually die cut to form an integral tab and are called machinable index dividers. Vendors also provide index dividers with separately applied tabs and having a pocket formed thereon, for convenient storage of loose or irregularly sized sheets of paper (without requiring opening of the sheet retainer rings). The pocket dividers of the prior art have necessarily included tabs with insertable indicia for insertion in transparent plastic index tab members, because, with the manufacturing methods of the prior art, it has been impossible to produce a machinable index divider having a pocket. A die cutting step is required to cut out the tab from the paper blank, and using prior art methods, the die cutting step associated with cutting out and defining the tab would also damage at least one side of the pocket. Insertable indexes, by way of contrast, typically have the plastic indicia holding member aligned and bonded onto a side in a subsequent step, so no die cutting step is required to provide a tab.
A machinable index differs from an insertable index in that a machinable index has alphabetical or numerical indicia preprinted on the index tab. The insertable index requires insertion of the indicia, as noted above, and indicia placards are often difficult to write on and insert and require folding. Additionally, the indicia placards can be misplaced and tend to fall out if the openings in the plastic tab members are not stapled or sealed. A machinable index, being preprinted, has the added benefit of permitting a user to easily make several copies of an indexed table of contents for use in notebooks along with the index dividers. When making several notebooks with the insertable index, by way of contrast, each notebook has to have a separate set of index tab indicia prepared and inserted. Insertable indexes must be large enough to provide sufficient room for a user to print a meaningful amount of information on the inserted indicia, and so sets of insertable index dividers tend to be limited to five or eight tabs since ten and twelve count insertable tab sets are considered too small to be functional and therefore have not found acceptance in the marketplace.
Machinable indexes are widely considered to be suitable for applications requiring a more professional appearance and for those situations requiring eight, ten, twelve or larger numbers of arrayed tabs. Accordingly, there has been an unmet need for a machinable index divider including a pocket to provide the general advantages of a machinable index, namely, the ability for a user to create multiple sets of indexes with duplicate title information in a minimal amount of time, using general office printing/duplication machines, and the more professional appearance, as noted above. A machinable index including a pocket would also provide the user with a pocket for storage of loose, unpunched or small materials that may otherwise be difficult to store and organize in a binder.